My Name is Arthur Hellsing
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: Arthur and his introduction into the Hellsing organization...and to his father Abraham van Hellsing. Continues as he comes into possession of the organization and its dark secrets.
1. Chapter 1

"Father?" the blue eyes glinted in the morning sun as the youth stared up at the man, twisting the handle of his suitcase with his overbearing apprehension. The blue eyes that bored into the taller man's relaxed, losing their wideness when the man nodded and lifted his hand to indicate that the young man was to come to him.

"Yes Arthur, my son." He ruffled the pale gold locks. "I am sorry that I appear a stranger to you, but alas, it was for your own safety and for the safety of your mother and brother."

Arthur's mixed feelings about the contact made him wince, though part of him sighed with relief as he knew that the man before him was indeed his father…a father that was not entirely indifferent towards his existence. What Abraham had said startled him and he waited for the man's hand to leave him before he spoke.

"Why would we be endangered?" he grimaced slightly afterwards, almost regretting that he had asked.

Abraham paused, steeling his gaze for a moment. "You know my line of work involves risk."

"But I do not know what this line of work is…" Arthur realized he was mumbling like a child and he straightened his posture and dropped one hand from the handle of his suitcase. Speaking up, he continued to erase any forming disappointment he feared to exist in his father. "You have called me here in the hopes of my one day taking control of this organization. I'm afraid your letters have only let on that it is in charge of protecting England and the Crown from pressing threats."

The taller man nodded but did nothing to draw out the topic as he then suggested that they go inside. With only a fleeting glance at the carriage that was beginning to move behind him, after dropping him off, Arthur followed the man who shared his blood and the Hellsing name.

Arthur stared down the barrel of the unloaded gun with a nervous smile and he crossed his legs as he leaned back in the chair, away from the weapon. Knowing he has one of these with him, I have to make sure none of my…less desirable habits surface while I'm here…and that mother never gets her hands on one of these. His lips twitched at the memory of how his drinking and womanizing terrorized the woman to the breaking point.

"You will become familiar with these items during the next six or so months. You will not drop your other studies as I am aware that you are currently attending Oxford. Textbooks will arrive by the end of the month and I have arranged for an acquaintance who happens to be a retired professor from Oxford, to tutor you. Until then you will focus your attention on…" Abraham pulled the trigger to see if the harmless click would make his son flinch, when it did he continued with a wry smile. "…these, and you will take up fencing lessons."

Good God. Will I be expected to literally fight to protect England? Like a freakin' knight of the round table? Who does he think I am? King Arthur?

Arthur's inner monologue failed to reach his features and he smiled with a nod of acknowledgment.

"You will begin tomorrow, for today you will familiarize yourself with the layout of the estate."

"Yes, of course."

Goddamn this place is big. Who the hell needs so much land? Arthur scowled, not caring as the butler escorting him gave him a curious look. Damn Richard…he should be the one here doing this…

His thoughts froze as he was let into his room. A grin spread across his face at the sight of the spacious and well furnished room.

Never mind…Hell, why should my spoiled little brother get to come here? For once I'm going to have the chance to become something and have someone be proud of me. Richard can have the old woman…


	2. Chapter 2

Trying was not high on Arthur's list of favorites, but he made the effort to initiate the habit and succeeded as months passed. He was said to excel in his studies and, though he was not gifted in fencing, he was a damn good shot. His drinking was remedied by a whiskey and coffee mixture he created for himself each morning and afternoon. It was quite poor for his taste buds, but it put him through the day until he shared a drink during and after dinner with Abraham. Abraham could drink well if he wanted, but he usually avoided more than a glass of red wine.

He had taken to calling the man by his first name, too much time had passed since his childhood to allow a parent-child relationship to blossom, but there was a loose affection between them none the less. Arthur could clearly see why he had been summoned. Tell-tale signs of age littered the man's face and movements. He was old, and the fact saddened Arthur only a little as he felt his childish disappointment arise at times. There was another pressing matter that influenced his thoughts. Something dark seemed to well up out of the night and frequently his weapons instructor, along with other men that lived in the massive estate, would leave without warning. He had questioned Abraham and a few of the men themselves but had been bluntly ignored. As his would-be final year of education came to a close, the professor remained and opened a queer and absurd subject that started in the Fall.

"Dracula?" he held up the hardcover book in his hand, his voice showing obvious doubt. "Bram Stocker is…an okay writer, I guess." He changed his tone as he received a hard look from the professor.

"You will study this to an extent which may seem irrational, Arthur, but try not to overlook details…"

"My father's name is in this book." Arthur broke in suddenly, recalling the age old question from his childhood.

"Bram Stocker wrote about your father, though the story is supposed to be complete fiction, it is riddled with dark truths."

Journals appeared in place of the novel once it was finished and discussed almost religiously for a whole month. Magics and curses and monsters were held within the leather bound booklets. Some details of terrifying raids into the nests of monsters began to twist the young man's dreams. Each time he awoke in a sweat, he would scowl and stubbornly proceed to his morning bath. It was a psychological test of his potential as a leader performing under constant pressure…this thought held off his frustration and soon eradicated the dreams. As his studies progressed to the focused topic of the anatomy of warfare and of the more traditional, like human anatomy and mentality, Abraham would seem to drop in and interfere with his tutor sessions. Arthur dismissed it as the old man's feelings of parental love surfacing as his death drew nearer.

Arthur was given situations and he would write out battle plans, reminding him of when he would be handed a prompt and then be expected to write an essay. The prompts became more and more detailed, mentions of specific captives, risks, illness among his men…it appeared to be a badass form of chess to Arthur. His mind assessed everything, every detail, in a bird's eye view of the map that was filled out in his head. He would soon learn to see through the eyes of his pieces and through those which peered down at the board. Fascination of what his mind was capable of threw away the work and he did not have to force himself to try. He took joy in learning that his plans were flawless or even horribly blind. Something within him found it all strangely natural. He could swallow his tea with ease as he listened to the estimated losses from his plans when they were read to him by his Father, if they were small, or the professor, if they were above fifty percent.

The first complete year of his coming to the estate came and went unnoticed at the beginning of the battle debates. In the Spring, he and his father would both address the same prompt and then exchange plans. After the sun began to emit a cooler blaze and the second year of his stay came around, he could make the old man smile during their arguments. Only once or twice was his answer perceived to be superior to the man's, but after his first accomplishment, Hellsing treated him with higher regard. It was November when he received a blank piece of paper as his prompt and the professor had been dismissed.

Arthur stared at the paper for a while, trying to find the meaning without asking. His mind traced back to the occasional disappearances of the men and he blinked. "I'm going to join in the real game?"

"Yes." Abraham's arms were folded over his lap as he sat in a generously refurbished chair across from Arthur. "It is expected to be a rather simple match, the opponent has few pieces, maybe only a bishop."

Arthur nodded at the chess reference, understanding the terms to be similar to prompts he had addressed during the early part of the summer. "What is the face of my opponent, Abraham? That was usually outside the prompts, but in reality there is always a face to a body."

"Take it as being one of our more mystical…"

"Vampires?" Arthur had little doubt that his father believed in them, and the man had often hinted to their involvement in the organization.

Abraham frowned at the thoughts he read in his son's eyes. "They are to be our opponent tonight."

"Only one with a following of a few ghouls?" Arthur received a nod. One vampire would count as a full chess piece and three ghouls equaled another. The possibility of one or two pieces meant a vampire and one ghoul, with some certainty.

"Vincent is readying your supplies as we speak." Abraham stated, referring to his head butler.

"What am I to be equipped with? What are my pieces?"

"Fifteen men armed identically to you. A hunting knife, a pistol, ten cartridges of six rounds of silver bullets, a wooden stake, and a rosary."

"Ages?"

"Twenty nine to thirty nine, without counting your age."

Arthur nodded. He was twenty four that year, five years junior to the youngest in his company.

"Illness? Wounds?"

"All in perfect health."

Arthur smiled as his eyes narrowed in thought. Easy on paper, but in reality there was always the component of randomness and God or the devil. "When do we leave?" He looked Abraham in the eyes and the older pair flashed.

"Midnight."

Arthur had looked on in envy more than once when he saw women slip into the men's rooms, and they had often made it into a source of humor. He had sparred and competed with these men and he knew them fairly well, as well as he knew their individual faults. Ranging from bad habits that appeared when they shot at long range targets to smoking, he had taken note as they were to be his future chess pieces, as heartless as it sounded. He saw them as both comrades and carved marble shapes. They were a little of both as he listened to them converse with one another in one of two trucks that moved towards their destination. The road disappeared quickly, as did the words from the men. He watched for anxiety but found little. Arthur's body felt cold but not numb. Every sense he possessed seemed to be coiling, readying to unleash his potential.

The oldest of the group, the previous leader of the company, drove, and he drew up beside the abandoned building flawlessly. Meaning, he avoided the patches of dry leaves and twigs and the area where rocks would foretell their arrival. He nodded to Arthur and the men took the signal before the young man could give it. This perturbed him for a passing second, but his mind brushed it aside.

They were all fully equipped and broke into three parties. Two men circled the building and returned. Arthur instructed the men to their locations. One group remained outside, covering the windows and doors. One entered through the front and was followed by the other. Arthur stayed with the first, mapping the area as he tried to guess the age of the structure and the possible layout.

Moments of perfect silence came and went. Another order was passed and men broke away with their partners. Each of them could somehow sense that a demon was present, tainting the air with poison that made their hearts race despite years of experience. Arthur cursed at how dark and cramped the building was, but he went to the left with one of his men while the veteran went to the right. Soon, Arthur would wish the silence had lasted forever.

It almost sounded like a tea kettle, but a second of analysis revealed it was a scream. A single bullet fired, shattering a window, obviously missing the enemy. Arthur followed his partner as they retreated to the right side of the building. Voices were heard, sometimes blocked out by a steady beat of firing bullets.

Arthur cursed as he read the frequency. The vampire had stolen one of the guns. Six solid shots were heard. Headshots, this wasn't a ghoul…was Arthur's last thought before his partner reached the door.

"Fall back, we need numbers…" he began, but the other man was seized by rage and disregarded the younger man's advice. Arthur was forced to abandon him and head for the door before another shot fired. Yes, with the amount of bodies, the vampire had a fine stock of bullets…he scowled before erasing his emotion to meet the veteran who had chosen the same course of action. Arthur turned and faced the entrance, the most likely place of exit for the now confident vampire. Seven men were left. Over fifty percent, a bad number.

There was no plan. There was only search and raid. The prompts had given him something to expect, but without the information, he was useless as a leader. This would have upset him, but it had been the same for the veteran.

Moving to use the trucks as temporary shields, the men waited while clouds of hot breath gave away their positions. Arthur suddenly realized he had come to believe that their enemy was undead without giving reason to the decision.

Rosaries were almost useless as the vampire had a long range weapon and perhaps the short-range knife… His mind stopped as something bounced across the hood of the truck and landed before his eyes. A severed head, how quant.

The vampire appeared at the door, that was the only being that could have contained such hellish red eyes and a maw of jagged fangs. Fire or wait to for him to approach…wait…

"Fire!" the veteran shouted next to him and Arthur stared at him with wide eyes of horror. The vampire would simply dodge…and not only that, he would now know where the leader was. Arthur broke away, but no one noticed as the vampire bent over them from the hood of the truck, putting a bullet through their heads before using their spot to avoid the bullets coming from the other truck. He peered through the glass of the driver's and passenger window, not expecting that one of the men had abandoned the others to move to the open back of the vehicle.

Red eyes lost sight of the other truck and took a split second to refocused on the gun that was directed at his head inside the truck. The shot shattered the glass and struck the side of the vampire's head, revealing bone and shedding blood, but nothing more. Within the haze of shock, Arthur fired another round and blew away the top half of the creature's skull. The body fell without a sound. Not taking chances, Arthur went through the back of the truck and fired the rest of his bullets at the body as he moved towards it, finishing by thrusting a stake into its heart. The aura of evil left, signaling the vampire's death.

Arthur sighed, standing slowly and he backed away from the creature, not removing his eyes from the corpse. Four barrels greeted him and he had to wave frantically as the men almost fired on him. "Christ. I ain't the bloody vampire." He muttered so that they could hear him when the guns fell beneath the horizon of the body of the truck.

The bodies were loaded into the trucks and the drive home passed in silence. Twelve dead, none wounded…it could have been worse… he mused as he drove, but a dampness on his hand distracted him. A stray sliver of glass was imbedded in-between his first two knuckles on his right hand.

Oh. One wounded…the king piece. Shit.

Abraham looked at the wound, shaking his head. He let go of his son's wrist as Vincent moved in with a first aid kit. Two stitches and the glass have cracked while it was removed and taking out the individual shards had demanded a glass of brandy. Arthur finished off the alcohol as the butler sowed the edges of the wound together. He had reported what had happened earlier, before removing the glass. Abraham wasn't upset by the outcome, reading into the choices and finding them satisfactory, but he scowled when Arthur brought up the injury after the report instead of before. Without the king there is no game, or at least it loses most of its dignity and beauty if you have to use a substitute, which was not an option for Hellsing.

"Take it." Abraham murmured after the butler walked away. Arthur took the thick and unused journal with his left hand. "Write everything down and go over it until you find a way to cut the losses to two men. Then write of your thoughts about it or those you had during it or after…or emotions you have. If you dream about tonight, put it down." Arthur was left in his room without further explanation.

He sighed and wrote out the report he had given the older Hellsing, and he went over the different possibilities, different choices he could have made. This he only allowed to go on for ten minutes as his mind was still in the game, unable to become detached for proper analysis. He skipped the page to move on to his thoughts…feelings, something miscellaneous.

_November 7 Arthur Hellsing_

_Age: 24_

_Preference: Blondes with blue eyes_

Arthur smirked and erased the last sentence. What would the old man say if he read it? I would keep it if he would laugh… Arthur frowned as he realized the man rarely smiled.

_Living with a mother who prefers another son to you makes one independent, keen to be possessive of others, and want to have another mother…to be told that some freak accident had separated you from your own. I used to feel that, but now I don't. I'm numbed by the shear uselessness of dwelling on such feelings. I moved on. I broke away from my childhood. No, I killed it on purpose, tainting myself with some of the seven sins of man. Women, drinking, desire to surpass without heed to others…_

_I've come to see in black and white. All faces are carved. Every day is a single move of a great game against fate. But today was the beginning, an opening where a pawn is allowed to skip an extra step. I let twelve men die today…but I feel no guilt because this statement is a lie. They killed themselves, ignoring my orders. I alone had to kill the vampire. Ha…vampire. I believe in nightmares now. I believe in the devil and so I believe in God. Maybe they are one and the same? Who's to say? A man cannot hold such opinions without being confronted with damnation. Damn me for my thoughts as I look for truth, for as I rot in Hell, others will read my discoveries and they will escape misery…ignorance. They will not have to face God and the devil…I will have done it for them._

_I killed a monster that resembled and was once a man, but unlike the story, there was no peace in the face. It looked just as the severed head had. There was no difference between the monster and the man who hunted him. They would both kill, committing the sin. It is like we are Michael and they, Lucifer, as the Armageddon rises with the bloody moon. Both angels…both will kill, or try to. Would God kiss Michael's bloody hands? Praise him for killing a being God had created? Why couldn't God kill the devil? Why make sin persist? Misery envelope souls so that they fall?_

_I do not know God. I know nothing and will die thus. I will write my emotions to read them, know them, before they fade. With the completion of this, I will perhaps be able to see myself, and if we were created in God's image, I may find God._

_I wish to know the devil. I wish to know God. If I understood one or the other…what would I do? Well…here is a beginning to my Hellsing legacy…my rule in a dynasty I know will continue after my death. I will walk through Hell…won't I? Then so shall my child…unless I find another to do so._

_Should I find a devil to do so? The flames surely do not burn him._


	3. Chapter 3

Abraham stared at his son, his lips parted for a moment before they closed and tilted into a frown. "Why did you ask that?"

"If a vampire has a mind like that of a human, we may be able to convince one to join us, though I agree that possibility is unlikely, but if we could force them to…it would make a lot of sense. The being of course would be much more durable and its own kind would not attack on sight. There would be the element of confusion…" Abraham cut him off.

"What gave you this idea." His eyes were narrowed, out of anger Arthur supposed.

"The number of loses last night…and the lack of time to form a plan when details of the situation arose. If there was distraction, if the vampire doesn't first kill the one we hunt, we will be able to form strategies and plans with less losses attached." Arthur paused, looking at the drink he had yet to touch in fear of being considered drunk. They had finished dinner only minutes ago and the moon was still young. "You are much more experienced in dealing with vampires and know the human mind well. I wanted to distinguish if you know the vampire mind just as well…or at all."

"I know that they are bloodthirsty beasts that can often not control themselves with the element of bloodlust. They are of the devil, they are not accepted by God…."

"We are not trying to save them, Abraham. We are attempting to use them for a purpose…we could allow them to think they are redeeming themselves and they may actually be capable of such a thing….I am not God and cannot foretell his judgment."

Abraham was quiet for a moment and then sighed heavily as age spilled into his eyes. "They are cunning creatures too, with more experience than we, as humans, can never muster."

"But what of Count Dracula?" Abraham's eyes flew open, surprising Arthur for a moment before he continued. "He was an age old vampire…the oldest, yet you defeated him. You flaunted his plans and killed him in his own country. No other vampire will ever compare…"

Abraham gave his son a curious look and then his eyes fell to the table where the drink was still untouched. "Indeed, I defeated the Count…but his ability still exceeds death."

Arthur stared at Abraham, not understanding.

"I thought that you had somehow met him and he had put this idea in your head." Abraham laughed uneasily. Arthur gaped.

"He's alive?" he whispered, growing pale. "How could that lie persist…his being on the outside….."

"No." Abraham shook his head. "The vampire Dracula is no more…I sealed his powers with his defeat, renamed him Alucard as my servant, and chose to lock him away. He rests under Hellsing as we speak, in a comatose state as he has been without blood for almost four decades."

There was an empty pause and silence occupied both the room and Arthur's mind as he stared at his father.

"Can I meet him?" Arthur realized he was standing. Without looking up, Abraham nodded.

The dungeon was dank and dark as most are assumed to be, but Arthur did not notice this as he stared at the withered corpse. This is really Dracula? His eyes were wide as Abraham stepped forward and beckoned for his son to follow, producing a penknife from his pocket.

"Your blood will be more useful for reviving him." Abraham said quietly, handing Arthur the knife. The young man hesitated, looked at the exposed blade and then the vampire before swallowing and taking it.

"Where should I cut?" he was trying not to let his apprehension come into his tone, smiling slightly when he succeeded.

"The finger, only a few drops of blood absorbed through the skin are all that is necessary."

Arthur moved forward, holding the knife to his index finger awkwardly. There was no response from the corpse as blood touched the air, and then a few pearled drops fell onto the vampires cheek as it was bound and slouching, seated against the wall. Moments passed before a hissing arose and filled the cell as the vampire began to come to life, steam coming off his body. Both of the men retreated to the middle of the room, though Abraham was the calmer.

"Another of the Hellsing blood." A chuckle came from the white haired creature, making Arthur's eyes widen. Two red eyes flashed at Arthur and Abraham. "Hello, Master. How may I be of assistance?"

Arthur was shocked at the amount of derision the vampire showed Abraham, but also by his absence of outward hostility…there was no sign of the beast attacking them…with this in mind, Arthur stepped forward.

"I am Arthur Hellsing. You are now called Alucard, yes?"

Alucard's eyes ran over the young man, unnerving him. The vampire smirked. "I know. Your blood was very keen on telling me this, though I never asked. You must wish strongly to know me…" his eyes looked Arthur over again. "…how old are you?"

Arthur frowned dreading that his young age might be his undoing as it had in the mission. "I'm twenty four…or will be shortly."

Alucard's eyes did not show any doubt about the man, only some interest. "What is the date?"

"November the 8th." Arthur blinked when the vampire chuckled at the loose irony.

"Only a day has passed? No, what is the year?"

"1941"

The vampire paused and then looked at Abraham who was still in the middle of the cell. "You are much older, Master." There was no mockery in the tone now.

"What of it, vampire?" the old man's voice was cold, making Arthur flinch. Alucard's eyes lingered on him for a few seconds before moving back to Arthur.

"So, why are you here?"

"I want to know of a vampire's mind…how much like a human it can be."

"Just any vampire's mind, or mine in particular."

Arthur started, looking at the grinning creature. His surprise fell away, making Alucard raise his brow. "So you've figured out my intention?"

"You want me to join your ranks…to walk through the fires of Hell, for, I agree, the devil's feet must be used to the flames." Arthur gasped while the vampire was still speaking and Abraham scowled knowingly in the background. "It is interesting…you want to know if I can be used…trusted at all?"

"Not trusted, just used."

Alucard lost his smile at Arthur's words and then a darker one stole over him. "Oh?" he chuckled. "Am I to be the weapon of Michael?"

"No." Arthur spat, his temper heating. "And do not twist my thoughts to your amusement."

Alucard's expression brightened to satisfaction. "You are a lot like your father." Red eyes found the older Hellsing for a moment. "Do you agree with any of this, Master?"

"No." Arthur looked at the man. "But I may change my mind…and I would rather this is attempted now than later."

The vampire watched the man, also agreeing with the statement in his own mind. "I don't suppose I could just say yes or no and be done with it…you would return to evaluate me until you are satisfied."

"Well, yes." Arthur stepped backwards to his father's side. "I will be visiting you for some time before my ultimate decision."

The vampire looked at the pair, seeing their similarities and differences. "Forty years is a long time, isn't it Hellsing?"

"It is nothing to you." Abraham responded, knowing he was the one addressed.

"The world has changed." The vampire was looked at the wall, away from the men now. "There is old and new gunpowder in the air. There is war and death and change…"

"You have missed the Great War and now a second that envelopes the world is at hand, but it does not involve Hellsing at the moment…we are strictly within the war against the undead."

The vampire was quiet. "I'll give you my answer when you have your own."

Arthur went on multiple missions over the months and proved himself in the eyes of his men, soon winning their unquestionable trust and loyalty. He would visit the vampire on his less busy nights, asking questions that led to nothing. But when he brought up the war, the vampire's attention would be drawn out and his eyes would brighten.

"I'm something of a warmonger." He admitted once with a chuckle, but he otherwise avoided topics including himself, refusing to speak of his past or of the novel Dracula.

"No. The undead and human state of coexistence does not constitute as a war…it is never ending and has no giving point or purpose except for continued existence, though you may fantasize about eradicating one or the other race. It is a conflict, not a war, as each vampire is on his own."

"Aren't you the original? Are they not your children?" The vampire was quiet before he gave a loud chuckle.

"I had children. Vampires branching from my fledglings mean nothing to me."

"So you think you could kill them?" Arthur did not hide how hopeful he felt at the vampire's words and Alucard smiled.

"I often killed them as the Count. I did not need a Hellsing so see that some were rampant, useless pests."

Arthur hoped none of these words had been lies…for the sake of his judgment.

Then came Abraham's death. The man passed away so suddenly, that there were no ready preparations for his absence. He had gone in his sleep, leaving Arthur in a nightmare, and the vampire was forgotten.

The day of Hellsing's death, there was a mission, but all realized the absurdity of letting their leader go to the front lines, so Arthur was forced to let another lead the mission, giving him seventeen men. He only came back with ten. Then Arthur was expected to join the Council of Twelve and be sworn in with the current Queen of England. All of the disarray and heavy losses tolling his personal army after each mission, Arthur was near the breaking point.

Then there was the fire that broke out in the armory. It was the middle of the day and Arthur was going over the supplies with another man when a sudden explosion blasted the said man across the room, tossing Arthur against a crate of cartridges.

"Perhaps this is the final sign." Arthur whispered, the flames making his blue eyes turn red as blood trickled from his brow. Another explosion sounded in the small room, peppering Arthur with wood and thin pieces of metal bit into his flesh. There was too much smoke to breathe, let alone see the door, and the initial blast had left the Hellsing with a concussion, he knew it as he struggled not to fall asleep.

"I'm going to die?" he laughed at the absurd thought. "How can I, a Hellsing, die in such a way? Who's going to take over? Richard's a brat." He laughed again, feeling cold as the flames licked at the crate that held him up. The others nearest the young man danced as black shadows, engulfed in flame. There was a sudden flash that preceded the roar of an explosion, heard by Arthur as he closed his eyes.

He was knocked across the room, onto the floor as if he had been struck by something solid. Then the young Hellsing gasped as all he saw was darkness and he felt a chill instead of the burning of the final flames. There was a laugh and the vampire's face came into view as Arthur searched for it, knowing the weight that blocked and absorbed the blast was the vampire.

"Master, you forgot about me." He chuckled, his face next to Arthur's as his flesh burned and blackened. His cheek had been scorched and was healing as he spoke.

"You…!" Arthur breathed, astounded and disturbed by the vampire's sudden appearance, but he had no time to think as he seemed to be wrenched from the ground and thrown into darkness. Next he remembered appearing in the middle of the grounds before the estate, hearing first the sirens of an approaching fire engine and then the cries of his men and servants as they came to him.

They stared at the man as the fire choked and spluttered out on his body and he turned, revealing red eyes.

"It's a vampire!"

At this, Arthur scrambled to his feet, moving in front of Alucard as a few guns were drawn out and several voices were yelling over the blaze behind them and the continued explosions.

"Stop!" he held out his hands, but before he managed to get in front of Alucard, a shot discharged into the vampire's face, knocking the body backwards. Arthur turned in horror, but, as his own left it grew in his men as the creature healed and stood facing them. The shot should have been fatal. Arthur looked at his men again. "Stop! Can't you see he saved me?"

"He's a vampire." A voice protested. There was too much commotion to calm the men, Arthur knew with a scowl and he turned to the vampire. "You should…"

"Silence!" the loud and powerful tone cut away the voices of the crowd and the humans stared at the vampire. "He is your leader and yet you show such doubt and disrespect?" he was glaring at them with disapproval. "Learn your place!"

Arthur was in awe of the vampire's ability to command the crowd, but when the crimson eyes went to him his emotions twisted in threatening submission. There was no slave in the spirit of the ancient king that stood before Arthur Hellsing, even as he bowed his head, black locks of hair falling about his pale face.

"My answer is yes."

Arthur nodded and stepped forward, hiding his hesitation with a hard expression. He announced his plan of using the vampire, not allowing any questioning of his authority. When he was done, his head buzzed and he was dizzy, almost swaying.

"I suppose a hospital is the best course of action?" the vampire smirked, speaking loud enough for some of the hunters to hear. They moved forward as the vampire backed away and Arthur was helped to the ambulance that had tailed the fire engine to the scene.

Alucard brushed soot off of his clothes and face as the vehicle's siren wailed and his master was taken away. He smiled at the few hunters that had remained behind and they backed away, directing their pistols at the figure.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well." The vampire's eyes flashed and he chuckled as flames cracked through the air and dark smoke consumed the sky. Alucard turned away and seemingly disappeared, making the men cry out in surprise. He appeared in his cell, smirking to himself. "So now I enter a world at war… Eh, Abraham?" He looked to his coffin that had dusted to a gray in the corner of the cell. "You took everything of the nothing I really had. Now you leave me your son…your men….your organization…you leave after…" Alucard opened the casket and a plume of dust rolled off the lid to the stone floor. An unnatural gust of air cleared away the remaining dust and cobwebs. This done, the vampire stood next to the coffin, making no attempt to get in it. "Forty years…" He closed his eyes for a moment and a breath of a sigh left him. "Forty years would have been longer if you had not locked me away…Master."

The closing of the lid resounded in the empty cell. Then there was silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur looked the vampire over. He had spent one night and a day at the hospital, dreading every passing second as he imagined what chaos could be destroying the mansion. He had dreamed up an engulfing battle between Dracula and his men, the vampire decimating them as they had no leader to guide them. He certainly had not foreseen the illustrated Victorian gentleman that had kept the manor in order and now stood before the mahogany desk with a hint of a smirk.

"How did you recover?" Arthur hid his fear at the vampire's 'healthy' appearance and then remembered the black hair he had seen during the fire.

"The man's blood, the one who died in the armory…" Alucard's smirk grew a little at Arthur's widened gaze and sadness. The young man had forgotten the other… "I took it without your permission, Master. It was necessary, though, for my state and the danger you were in."

"Yes. Yes, that's true." Arthur stared at the unfamiliar desk, suddenly feeling small in contrast to its size. He tried to kill the feeling by sitting up more in his seat and looking at his Slave with his identity and status in mind. "Vincent is dead then…" he paused as grief stole over him. There was also guilt, from his current insecurity and needed responsibility for the situation. "He had a son, a boy still in training…I believe he had experience with the undead…his mother…" The young Hellsing flinched and looked up at Alucard, realizing his eyes had progressively lowered to the desk and he had been musing aloud. It was odd that the vampire's presence could be so overwhelming and forgettable at the same time. Arthur frowned at the thought.

"Yes, young Walter was quite upset that his father was being overlooked." Alucard gazed at his Master's expression, seeing a different topic in the man's eyes.

"Blood packets." Arthur sat up with finality. Alucard didn't respond. "They're new and experimental in the medical world, but it's a perfect cure for your hunger…"

"Very well, but that is your duty, not mine, Master. My filling in for you was _unacceptable_." Arthur started at the harsh chastisement. "You need someone who can take over in times of your absence."

"That was Vincent's position…" Blue eyes dimmed in thought.

"Then train the boy to replace him, but until then you must have another who can…." The vampire was a little put off when the young man stood up with something resembling joy and excitement in his eyes.

"I know just the man. An acquaintance of mine." He was chuckling in a way that suggested his age. Red eyes blinked at the un-Abraham-like behavior, unable to comment. Arthur turned his attention to the vampire and smirked. "Islands." He sat down, cackling devilishly. Alucard coughed, forcefully, to return Arthur's composure with the reminder of his presence. Oddly enough, he was ignored and the young man was roaming through the desk, searching for something.

"What of Walter Dornez?"

Arthur didn't look up and his face was hidden by the desk. "What do you suppose I do with the boy? Let another butler train him in the practice?" Drawers were opening and closing, cutting into his words.

"But he must know how to lead in your absence." The vampire's expression was blank and his eyes watched the strange performance with curiosity and distaste. "A common butler will not suffice. Then the boy's youth needs to be exploited so that he can be molded into what is necessary…"

"Then you take the boy."

There was only the sound of papers being drawn onto the neat desk, making it into a scene of untidiness and neglect in seconds. The vampire stared at the man.

"Excuse me?"

"There's no one better and I myself am too busy. You held my position well when I was gone. I am ordering you to train the boy."

"Do you even know what you're saying…?" Arthur cut Alucard off, adopting a very Abraham-like glare and countenance.

"Are you questioning me?"

The vampire was split between anger and approval, leaving a frown on his face and a light in his eyes. "Yes."

"Well, don't." Arthur huffed, slowly losing confidence. "Now go, and see to the boy…." He stopped, looking at his desk in surprise. "How old is Walter?" He spread the array in an attempt to find individual pages.

"Ten."

"Oh." There was quiet for a moment. "Then tell another butler to come in here, or a maid…"

"I'm sorry, Master." Alucard surprised the young man by grinning a little spitefully and turning for the door. "That's not really within my agreed position. I kill vampires and protect you. I'm not an errand boy…young Master." He began to melt through the door with regained humor at Arthur's ruffled appearance. "I have to see to Walter Dornez now…and on my first meeting with the child, he tried to kill me with a silver spoon." There was a lingering sinister chuckle that made a few pages fall on the floor.

"Spoon?" Arthur stared at the mess and then grumbled when he had to go to the door to find someone to clean it and tell him where addresses of members of Parliament and their families were kept. Abraham had never taught his son the pleasure of being neat…at the expense of his servants who watched the office fall into disarray within minutes as they tried to clean and reveal documents simultaneously.

Servants looked on in horror as the vampire disregarded the boy's curses and continued to look him over with growing doubt. "You're too thin." He caught an arm when a tiny fist flew at him and his hand ran from the boy's shoulder to his wrist. The red eyes narrowed further. "A runt."

"What are you doing to the boy?"

The vampire turned his face to the door where a panting hunter stood, having been alerted by the maids that the boy was about to be eaten by the monster. "Let him go, demon!"

A deep rumble of increasing annoyance in the vampire's chest made the hunter recoil and then steady the gun in his hand, but Walter saw his opening and grabbed at the black hair that was in his reach. He tugged on it furiously, to no avail. Alucard's gaze flicked down to the child and he grinned with a mouth full of daggered teeth. There was no fear in the boy as he continued, roaring with frustration.

"I hate vampires! Go away before I kill you!" Blue eyes blazed under soft locks of hair and Walter C. Dornez continued his assault on the ancient vampire, unrelenting. He, however, stopped when the said vampire laughed at him, almost showing glee in its humor. Walter hissed and kicked at Alucard when he was picked up and his hair was ruffled.

"You're perfect, forgive my doubts, little one…" there was a chuckle melded with the words while the rest of the room was silent, in awe of the sight. Walter grabbed at his hair again and gave a hard, fruitless yank. The smile only widened. "This won't be as unbearable as I previously thought."

"What do you mean?" The hunter held the pistol ready but directed at the floor as there was no apparent threat towards the boy at the moment.

"My Master has given me the boy to raise into a fine replacement for his father."

There was quiet as Walter froze. He echoed the hunter's question with wide eyes.

Alucard paused and then grinned and slung the boy over his shoulder. "I have to make something out of you, runt." He disappeared through the wall with the boy, leaving the room in shock. It is easy to say, Arthur had quite a number of complaints about the matter. Hellsing looked these over and tossed the slips of paper to a wastebasket that was near full.

He surveyed the jungle of books and papers that was developing, with a content smile. He knew where everything was now, a fact that made his smug appearance bring groans from servants. Walter would become a superior butler if he could conquer Arthur's office, the library…was another matter entirely.

The men watched nervously as the vampire stood before the building with a fanged sneer and light dancing in his eyes, holding a loaded gun in his hands. Walter was waiting back with the hunters, unusually quiet. He suddenly broke the silence with a frown, making the vampire chuckle at his words. "And don't bloody come back!"

"I'm not a runt like you, little boy." Alucard went into the building as Walter ranted and was restrained by a man beside him. There was a loud, yet chilling cackle from the building, followed by yells that became pleas. Blood colored windows as ghouls were ripped apart by bullets and a vampire tried to jump from a window on the second story to be blown through by a bullet in the head. The body fell as a rotting skeleton, telling the vampire's meager age, and hit the ground before Walter's feet. The humans stood stupefied and did not move when a familiar voice casually emerged with a red figure from the door. "That was boring."

All eyes fused to the vampire as it sighed in disappointment and walked up to Walter who was staring at the corpse. A foot suddenly crushed the skull, making it burst with gore like an egg. "Do you want me to teach you how to do this? Boy?"

Walter slowly looked up, revealing the savage grin on his face. "Definitely, stupid vampire." The men filed into the trucks silently while the boy rubbed at the forming bruise on his head.

Arthur practically beamed at the report in his hands when a man told him of the ease at which his monster had eradicated the nest of ghouls and the two vampires. One had not made it out of the building at all, though both died with eyes full of dread and terror. "No casualties. A perfect score." He chuckled after the man left. "It's as if the Hellsing side of the chessboard has a piece possessing every ability of the other figures…combined." He lifted a glass and sipped it thoughtfully. "The rules of the game don't apply to him. He's rushed over the pawns from the side of the king and beheaded the opposition in a single move." Arthur gave in to another chuckle, ecstatic with the possibilities before him that had been disregarded by his father so carelessly. "Though I cannot consider him as the queen for the position contrasts too strongly…he is undefined in the game." The glass hit the desk with a loud crack, jostling the ice and remnants of alcohol. "It's rather unfair now, isn't it? Barely a game at all."

"I'm glad to see you so amused." Arthur started, stopping halfway as he had been readying to put his feet on the desk to relax and enjoy the rest of the night with a sense of celebration. Alucard stepped from the shadows into the room, orange glasses obscuring, but not hiding, his humor.

A vampire wearing sunglasses…sunglasses worn at night…. Arthur was distracted for a moment but recovered instantly and drew out another glass with a wide grin. The vampire watched as the glass was filled and then offered to him. He simply chuckled at the absurdity and let Arthur shrug and drain the glass.

"How is the boy? You took him, so you must be planning on something…" Arthur rambled a little and Alucard cut him off, without blatant disrespect.

"You must have been quite confident in me to let me bring him."

"Of course." Arthur set the glass down and waved his hands to show how obvious his decision had been.

The vampire frowned slightly and then lost the expression again when he saw the mess around him. "You're a slob."

"I'm your Master, so, unfortunately you'll have to get used to it." Arthur looked at the jungle. "I think it's perfect. Everything was so hard to find before…." He hummed for a moment. "How are the blood packets?"

"Cold." Arthur blinked at the short reply and implied complaint.

"How is the boy?"

"Slowly coming to. I have something planned, as you've assumed." Alucard gave an intimidating grin that brought feelings of pity for the boy from Arthur. "I'll make him into a reliable bodyguard, sharpen his mind, leash him with loyalty to you…though there is difficulty with the boy's physical…lacking and some immaturity…for the position he is expected to fill."

"How so?"

"He's weak. The boy does not have a strong build, or the body type to ever have one. He is also troublesome concerning his behavior." Alucard's face became thoughtful, observable even with the sunglasses. "I'll have to be a little creative in order to take advantage of what he does possess…" The vampire startled Arthur by leaving the room as quietly as he had come.

The young Hellsing grumbled to himself and looked at the mess again, instantly comforted once more.

"Walter."

The boy froze, just putting the finishing touches to making his bed. It was dawn. He whipped around with a ready scowl for the vampire. "What?"

Alucard frowned for a moment at the boy's tone and then smiled darkly. "You will run every morning from now on."

Walter gawked and then glowered at Alucard. "Why?"

"You're weak, puny, and an embarrassment to your sex. Now do what I've instructed. Run along the perimeter of the estate until you feel like you're going to collapse."

"No!"

"You can ask to join the hunters who make the run every…."

Walter ran out the door. The vampire gave a smirk that was broken by a yawn, and he retreated to the dungeon as the sun began to rise. The boy was rebellious, but in a predictable, simplistic way. Night came and, without a vampire to kill, Alucard sought the boy. Walter was dead asleep, proving he had kept his word as the vampire looked at the time and found it to be just passed seven. This continued for six days before Alucard found Walter awake and reading in his room. With a closer look, the cover revealed it to be a textbook and there was a pad of paper and a dulled pencil being used for arithmetic.

"What'd you want?"

"Learn to speak appropriately."

There was a hiss from the boy but he continued his homework.

"Who tutors you? Someone outside the estate?"

"Mr. Jacobin."

The vampire frowned, beginning to tire of talking to the boy. "Who is that?"

"Doorman."

"Incredible…" the sarcastic mutter drifted across the room as the vampire moved forward to look at the work. "Arthur should arrange a proper teacher."

"There's nothing wrong with Mr…." Walter turned, but the vampire was already gone. Mr. Jacobin was replaced two nights later.

Time passed and Arthur awaited his acquaintance's arrival. Islands was younger than Arthur by a year, but his sense of purpose and low tolerance for the absurd antics of his friend made him seem to be five years Arthur's senior, though both of them were equal, intellectually. Island looked at the mansion, impressed with Arthur's accomplishment, but the praise died and left a gape on his face when he walked into the library Arthur had told a butler to lead him to.

"Islands!" The young Hellsing stood with a smile and wide arms, a glass in his hand. "So good…"

"YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED A BIT! YOU FOOL!" Islands was gritting his teeth and glaring at the towering stacks of books and papers that coated the floor, then at the stunned man before him. "Look at all this! How the hell can you….!"

"But I know where everything is, now sit." Arthur dragged the man who strained not to upset any of the stacks of books and papers, over to the chairs. He poured another glass of liquor when he sat down, but Islands refused it with a halfhearted growl.

"I'll have tea if I have anything."

"Then I'll get Walter…he's good at making tea…" Arthur returned from the door after he told a passing maid to find the boy, and he chortled at the memory of her paling face. "Islands, I have someone I'd like you to meet, he'll bring the tea….and hopefully not kick any of books over again…." The voice fell to a mumble and Arthur sat down before the indignant Islands.

"Who is this person? Bringing the tea? What…?" Arthur cut off the questions with a smirk.

"My butler."

Minutes later, the door swung open and a boy stood glaring at the library. "You've made a mess of this place again! I had to go through hell with the others to get it spotless!" He dragged his feet over the papers with indifference and then stood beside Islands with the tray of tea in his hand. "Hello. Here's your tea, Sir." He put it down and turned to leave.

"Walter! Why do you have to be so damn rude to me and polite to my guests?" Arthur stood glowering at the boy who turned with a bored expression.

"Cuz you're a good-for-nothing, lazy, old man."

"This is your butler? The one you…?" Islands stared at Walter as the boy looked at him. "He's a child!"

"I'm eleven." The boy left when Arthur sighed and fell into his seat.

"He smokes too, drives the staff mad. Wonder what he'll be like when he's a teenager..." The young Hellsing sighed but straightened. "Islands, I'm not sure if you know exactly what this organization is responsible for."

"Doesn't it control a section of public defense? Arms productions or something along those lines?" Islands sipped the tea and found it to his liking though he could not say the same about the delinquent that had made it.

Arthur gave a chuckle after thinking his friend's words over. "We kill monsters."

Islands swallowed calmly and then glared at Arthur in a tired manner. "Funny."

"No, really. We kill vampires, specifically." Hellsing watched as the mug rose to the man's lips again and Islands ignored him. "We have our own vampire too, Count Dracula, from the novel."

The mug clinked as it was put on the table and Islands smiled slightly. "Hellsing and Helsing? Yes, it was an interesting coincidence that the character in the novel had such a similar name to your late father, my apologies for his passing as well." He added the last a bit hurriedly, ashamed he had not brought it up beforehand.

"I'm not joking, Islands. My father was _the_ Abraham van Helsing. The one you're thinking of. He captured Dracula and renamed him Alucard. The vampire now serves the Hellsing name, ridding the world of his kind. He's sleeping in the dungeons right now. Do you want me to call him here?"

Islands merely scoffed and sipped his tea again. Arthur smiled. "Alucard, come here."

The lights dimmed suddenly, making Islands choke and cough. He dropped the mug on the table and stared at the shadows. The room was almost completely dark and Arthur was smiling, cheery as can be. A shape suddenly rose from behind his chair. Arthur gasped as he was ripped from the seat and Alucard was snarling at him, holding on to his collar so that his feet weren't touching the floor.

"Master." Arthur flinched at the deep, echoing voice while Islands was near pissing himself. "Do not wake me up again for stupid and useless things like this. I am not to be taken lightly, human. Never forget that if I find the chance and you become unworthy in my eyes _**I will**__**rip out your**__**throat**_." Red eyes blazed with swirling flames against the darkness, and the ebony hair was waving, taking on the illusion of life.

Arthur shuddered while his eyes were wide. "My m..mistake. But, don't you…dare threaten me again… Slave."

"Good."

The young Hellsing was dropped into the chair and the lights slowly brightened once more. The vampire left, ignoring the traumatized stranger completely. Arthur noticed and fretted over his friend as he didn't respond to his name. Finally there was an angry hiss and Islands grabbed Arthur's shirt and shook him.

"AND YOU EXPECT ME TO COVER YOUR POSITION WHEN YOU'RE GONE? LIKE HELL I WILL! I'M NOT GOING TO DIE FOR YOU!" Arthur waved his hands and smiled anxiously until the man had cooled a little.

"Who said anything about dying? I just want you to sit behind a desk and make sure Walter and Alucard don't blow the mansion up…though Alucard wouldn't, Walter might."

Arthur was working diligently with a slight pout on his face, as the staff had secretly cleaned his office the night before. He sighed and leaned back with his eyes closed and checked the time. The sun was still low in the sky. He sighed again at the early hour.

"I think I know what's wrong with Walter."

Arthur almost fell out of the chair at the vampire's unexpected presence. He composed himself and coughed. "Really?" There was a ray of hope in his eyes.

"I think he's lonely." The vampire eyed the window with a frown. "There aren't any other children within the estate and I don't know if he's ever had contact with someone his own age."

"Maybe." Arthur sighed, disheartened. "There's nothing we can do about that."

"Hm. Perhaps not, but I'll try a solution, tonight." Alucard turned away.

"What do you have in mind…?" Arthur's face fell when the vampire didn't appear to be in the room anymore. He sighed again and put his hand over the documents on his desk.

Night fell, and there was unaccustomed peace in the mansion. Everything was so perfect, Arthur and the staff wondered if something horrible had befallen their delinquent. The boy, they discovered, had disappeared. It was a slow night, so people volunteered to look for Walter, but Arthur refused and decided to use the excuse to stretch his legs. He searched the rooms and looked out the windows, but produced nothing. Becoming irritated, Arthur decided to complain to the vampire about his poor maintenance. He went into the dungeon and opened the door of the cell and stared. He just stared for a while at the two children as a little girl showed the boy how to dismantle and reassemble a Tommy gun that was as long as her arm. When she finished, red eyes went to Arthur with a smirk.

"Good evening Master."

Arthur staggered out of the cell and up the stairs.

"I have to stop drinking during the day." He muttered and plopped down behind his desk, eagerly doing his paperwork.

Meanwhile, Walter tried to light a cigarette but a small glove snatched it away, grinding it to dust. "You will not smoke in here."

Walter grumbled but did nothing more and he looked at the vampire for a moment before directing his eyes to the floor, unsure of how he should feel about the moment.

"What are you good at?"

Walter blinked and again felt unsure, never having actually held a conversation with the vampire. He had never felt like it until now. "I'm good with my hands, I guess." He took out a coin he had swiped from Arthur's desk the night before. The boy let the coin fall over his knuckles, catching it in each of his fingers as it progressed, and then he tilted his hand so as it do it in the opposite direction. He did this more quickly the second time around and still more the third time, until the coin flowed back and forth in a rapid, yet graceful, fluid motion.

"Hm." Large red eyes followed the movement in thought. Enjoying the attention, Walter chose to show off a little and he threw the coin precisely into a crack in between the stones on the wall across the cell, so that it was lodged in place. He smiled smugly when the vampire grinned and the boy went to the wall to retrieve the coin, dismayed when it remained in place. Alucard pried it out when Walter was becoming anxious and he gave it back to him. "Coins won't kill a vampire." Walter hesitated but was consoled when Alucard continued. "But this _is_ a promising skill."

"Here's your food." Walter put the tray on the desk, covering all off the papers except for the one Arthur was currently reading. With a huff, the boy scanned the reforming jungle. To Arthur's surprise Walter didn't topple any of the towers and instead leaned against the wall and began to play with a coin. The agile fingers caught his attention and he forgot about the food until Walter stopped and scowled at him. "Are you going to eat or not?"

"What are you doing?" Arthur's eyes were fixated on the coin.

"Alucard told me to practice. Oh…" Walter smiled. "…and he's a girl now."

Arthur froze and then almost ducked his head into his food with the memory. He recovered and observed the boy, noting that he _did_ seem happier. "What do you think about that?"

"I think it's okay." The boy mumbled and then glared at the plate. "Eat your food old man."

Arthur hissed something about the boy needing more respect, and began to eat. His mouth became a smirk after a while and he watched Walter when the boy reached for the plate when he was done. "Do you think he's pretty?"

Luckily, Walter had yet to pick up the tray so when his hand fell lifeless to the desk in shock, nothing was broken. He turned a violent shade of pink and grabbed the tray, running from the room with a few stammered curses when he almost tripped on a book.

"Why did you turn into a girl?" The vampire looked at the masses of volumes and papers that littered the room. Alucard shrugged his shoulders in response to his Master's question.

"Walter is much more manageable now."

"Why a girl? Why not a boy?" Arthur lowered his chin to the back of his hands on the desk, narrowing his eyes in interest at the child before him. A porcelain doll, with oversized red eyes and glistening pitch hair. The question dug deeper into his mind.

"It doesn't matter to me. It was at random." Alucard glared at the mess. "Why do you insist on making this ruin of yours?"

"It makes everything smaller."

Red eyes blinked and looked up to find Arthur watching the room. "Everything is so spacious and empty, even the desk. I just occupied it, made it…smaller in some sense. It was bothering me. And I can find everything so it's perfectly fine."

"Hm." The little girl was quiet, having been satisfied with the answer to the mystery. "You'll grow out of it, then."

"Maybe. But I like it." Arthur smiled at his vampire and sat back in his chair. "You have a hunt tonight." Alucard didn't comment and Arthur lifted a glass from his desk and put it down a moment later. "That will be a sight to see." He chuckled and ran his finger around the rim of the glass to make its voice join in. "Quite a sight."


End file.
